RCY RIDE REPORT
Los Pinetos Trail
Sunday
03-18-07
 
Apparently being a glutton for punishment, I decided to show up for the Los Pinetos ride on Sunday morning after having ridden Ojai on Saturday.  I guess I figured that after Saturday's initial 9 mile climb up Sisar Road, Sunday's mere 7 1/2 mile climb to the FireStation would be a piece of cake.  Well, more like egg on my face....and molasses for legs.
 
Nine riders showed up--Mitch, Brian, DavidR, GaryM, Matthew, Jamshyd, Joe, Warner and I started pedaling under foggy skies up the steep fireroad that starts at the south end of San Fernando Road off of the 14 Freeway.  Tired, I lagged behind, trying to keep a slow, steady pace.  As we climbed higher, we left the fog below and had beautiful blue skies above.  At about the 5 mile point, Warner decided to go back and wait for us at the trailhead to the Los Pinetos Trail--our eventual route of descent.  Eventually I arrived at the firestation and, too tired to take photos on the trail, decided to snap a few portraits of the ride participants at the top.  A gallery of portraits:
 
Brian
 
Jamshyd
 
Matthew, who again fed us apples and other goodies at the top
 
David
 
Gary apparently anticipating a soon to happen crash
(In about 15 minutes, Gary would be nursing wounds from a crash on the rocky, slippery fireroad descent)
 
Joe
 
Mitch
 
Holding my camera at arms length, a self-portrait
 
Because Warner did not ride to the top, I've found an old photo
 
We left the top for the fast fireroad descent back to the Los Pinetos Trailhead.  After Gary recovered from his crash, we--except Joe who headed down the rest of the fireroad--started down the wonderful Los Pinetos Trail.  Commencing with a twisty descent through an old oak forest, we eventually came upon chapparal environment which gave way to a burned section at the bottom of the trail.  A few of our members "discovered" a trail at the bottom which we decided to explore.  It ended up being the Placerita Canyon Nature Trail and it allowed us to avoid some of the pavement of Placerita Canyon Road.  It also gave us a beautiful new area to ride, although there is 'some' question as to its legality for bikes....we got mixed signals--no signs at ride start and end, but we saw 1 sign in the middle of the trail.
 
A father and his 2 sons hike over a section being repaired by a trail builder
 
Another view of the trail
 
Eventually we got back on the pavement and pedaled the highway back to our vehicles.  Several of us then headed on over to the old Saugus Cafe--established in 1886--the year before I was born--for a great old fashioned meal filled with good food and gab.
 
Have a great week.
 
Robco Baggins
 
 

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